Hive at 55 Member Profile: Eric Wong

Where are you from and where do you live now?

Born and raised in NYC.  Proud resident of the Downtown Financial District since 2002.

Name of Company?

Virtuos Consulting Group

What is your job title?

President and founder of Virtuos Consulting Group

What industry are you in?

Digital marketing and promotion services.

Describe your occupation

Virtuos is a full-service digital marketing and promotion firm that serves the needs of small-to-medium-sized businesses.  We provide advertising, marketing and promotion services that help companies meet the demands of the digital age.  Our services include web site design, iPhone app development, search engine optimization and social network promotion.

How long have you been working at the Hive?

To date, three months.

Why do you work at the Hive?

I think the Hive is an excellent resource for our company.  Because many of our employees and resources are spread out across the United States, maintaining a physical presence is sometimes an unnecessary full-time cost.  Having a place to hold meetings, conferences and brainstorm collectively as an on-demand resource is simply invaluable.

What do you like about working at the Hive?

There is something about being in a room of creative, focused and motivated people that drives you.  If you are willing and motivated, you will find other people who work at the Hive with similar interests and needs—making the Hive an excellent resource for vertical integration and relationships.

What days and hours have you generally been here?

I usually work at the Hive about three days a week during the afternoons on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

How has your business or work style changed by working at the Hive?

I treat my visits to the Hive as a welcome change in my work day and work week.  It allows me to focus on being productive in a quiet, yet warming, environment. I am always genuinely surprised how much work I am able to complete every time I work out of the Hive.

How do you think your business will improve or grow from working at the Hive?

I hope to get to know my Hive-mates better in the up and coming months.  In my experience, building strong relationships with talented people is the key to success.  From my short time at the Hive, I’ve met some really interesting and smart people doing some great things.

What’s your favorite thing about Lower Manhattan?

Living here in the area for almost a decade, I’m so excited to witness the growth of a community filled with diverse food, entertainment and culture.  Lower Manhattan has always been a great place to work but it’s getting to be a great place to live.

All the subways are a stone’s throw away, the rent is cheap(er), and if you know which streets to avoid on the weekends—tourists  are everywhere—it’s pretty quiet and calm for a city that never sleeps.

Where do you go to lunch when you’re at the Hive?

Ten places to eat lunch (in no order)

• Adriennes
• Smorgas
• Chipotle
• Zaitzeff
• Il Brigante
• Ise
• Alfanoose
• Harrys
• Ho Yip
• Rubens Empanadas

Do you have a hidden talent or secret hobby?

I am a Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioner and train at the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Midtown.  I hope to compete in this year’s Pan Am world championship. I speak English and Chinese fluently. I am currently studying and have a conversational knowledge of Russian and Arabic.

What’s your favorite band, TV show, or movie?

Favorite Band: Tribe Called Quest

TV Show: MacGuyver / The Wire / Breaking Bad

Movie: The Godfather I and II.  III doesn’t exist.

Is there someone in your industry who you admire?

I admire anyone who has taken an idea and turned it into a reality. Whether it has failed or succeeded financially, sometimes the payoff of following your passion is incredibly rewarding in itself.  I am constantly surprised how financial success usually finds its way of tagging along.

Fun fact you want to share?

Diehard fan of the Yankees, Celtics, University of Michigan [GOBLUE] and anything Team USA.